Hey all. I am currently having problems with sucking up the wake with my knees, when I try and jump the wake. My timing is way off. I usually end up standing up after the wake. My friends have given me numerous good pointers, but none seem to work for me. Any suggestions out there, like count to a certain number before you start standing up, or anything along those lines that have helped you in the past. thanks

the key is to edge all the way through, dont plane out when you get to the top of the wake (faltten out) because you lose all of the pop you built up, make sure you are also at the peak of your progressive edge just before you stand up...hope this helps

Alex, If I'm at the peak of my progressive edge when I leave the wake, I will invert. I don't don't how you can edge hard off the top of the wake and stay upright.

Chris, are you taking a nice easy progressive edge to the wake or are you "balls to the wall". If you go to fast into the wake you will decrease the window of time to initiate the pop. Take it easy until you get more experience. Also use your arms to pull yourself across to the other side. That's assuming that you are having trouble clearing the second wake. You didn't really say what level you are at concerning making the W2W.

sorry about not providing the proper info. I currently can do one wake jumps without any pop, because my timing is off. Any air that I am getting is incedtal, because my knees suck up most of the wake. If I go "balls to the walls" as you put it, I jump about halfway across the wake at 70ft, but with almost about a foot of air. If I slow down my cut, I get very little or no air, and my board slides out from underneath me when I land. My friends say that my progressive edge is good and my cut in heelside is good, I just can't seem to grasp the stand up part.

Try not trying to stand at the top of the wake. Instead, get your progressive edge and everything down, go kinda slow at first, and when you get to the bottom of the wake make your body really rigid but don't change the way your pulling on the rope. Basically, stay how you are and when you get to the wake tense up enough that you won't absorb the pop. After you figure out how to pop allright try adding the stand up part, it should come easier... it's all in how it feels... if you want, use a really slow progressive edge and experiment by standing on different parts of the wake. never go balls to the walls though, it never works unless you're good at it.

OK Chris, I'm going to give you advise which may be at odds with what others tell you. Try the recommendations of myself and others and go with what works for you.

First... You said the rope was 70'. BIG MISTAKE #1.

You should set the boat speed at the fastest you feel comfortable with and tehe rope at the shortest you feel comfortable with. If your buddies disagree tell them to pound sand and set it the way you tell them. This will allow you to make the downside of the second wake where the landing is smooooooth like butter. Anytim eyou land in the middle of the wake it will be a hard landing and cause you to not to put in your best effort.

Second, and this is where I differ... Now that you are on a short rope just go out about 10' from the wake and them make a smooth progressive edge to the wake. Don't rush it and don't go too fast. When you get to the wake let off your edge and let the board flatten a bit, but still keeping tension on the rope. The lower speed should give you a chance to get the timing right. As you go up the wake, stand tall and extend your legs. You will get air. When you are in the air use your arms to pull yourself across to the other wake.

The lower speed is critical to launching of the wake. High speeds are for higher skilled riders. As you get better you can lengthen the rope and edge harder and faster.

Actually my buddies have suggested shortening the rope, but I wanted to stay out at 70ft. It just seems like when I slow down the cut, nothing feels right. And the standing up part is what I can't seem to get right. my timing is all off.

Thanks for all the advice. I guess I wiil just keep trying. Practice makes perferct, or so I'm told. Perhaps when my buddy Mike(upupnaway) gets home from work, he could provide some video that y'all could critique

Yeah, that's about it, try it over and over again until you get it... What I meant by making your body rigid is to lock yourself in place and try not to let your knees crumple, it doesn't work as well as standing but helps you feel it. Good luck

I agree, short rope/slower boat speed is key. We had a lot of people in the boat one time, so we reduced the rope down to 60'. It was MUCH easier to clear the wake with that length. When we put it back out to 65', it took more boat speed and I didn't feel as comfortable leaving the wake or landing it. I think short/slow is the way to go as you start, then as you get money with that, go to a little longer and a little faster. 70' if you cannot clear the wake seems a little long if you ask me. And don't let people say garbage about "pros freeride at 86'", yeah, well they're also going about 24 MPH and are REALLY FREAKING GOOD! Board what makes YOU comfortable and what make YOU work on what YOU'RE working on. Trust me, no one asks what rope length you ride as you're sticking W2W and grabs while your buddys are getting picked up after every failed attempt.

this weekend we shortened our rope down to the 60' mark. I too have a hard time getting decent air, but I am told I am clearing the wake most the time, but they tell me I look like I am going 100 mph across the wake... and it feels like it also. I watched the Waketrix video and then went out immediately trying to concentrate on edging all the way thru the wake, taking a slow approach, not rushing, etc. and still find myself hitting the wake way too fast... it's like "bam-bam" and I'm across the wake...with very little air. I can actually get more air trying a TS jump than a HS jump. When approaching the wake, should you be at say 45 degrees (angled) going up the wake, or more at a 90 degrees approach (straight on)? Last Friday nite, my friends were hitting some hella big jumps behind my boat, so I know that is not the problem... it's all me.